About Olof "Rawson" Rase

Olof Rase, more commonly known as Olle or Wolla Rawson and finally as William Rawson. He had arrived in New Sweden as a soldier on the Eagle in 1654 and, together with Nils Larsson Frände had been licensed to buy land from the Indians in Gloucester County in 1668. He sold his interest in the New Jersey venture in 1675, being satisfied with his original tract of land on the west bank of the Delaware, located above and below Marcus Hook. This tract, originally granted by the Dutch before 1664 was repatented in 1676 by Governor Andros of New York to Olle Rawson and five others and estimated to be 1,000 acres. Each of the other owners moved to new locations, however, so that most of this land ended up in the ownership of Olle Rawson.